Data Warehousing: Using the Wal-Mart Model
A real-world look at how Wal-Mart developed and uses its massive data warehouse.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Data Warehousing: Using the Wal-Mart Model
Chapter 8: Technical Construction of the Wal-Mart Data Warehouse
I have been truly amazed at the tremendous interest in the Wal-Mart data warehouse implementation. People worldwide have asked me to explain what Wal-Mart does with their database and how it was built. It is a matter of public record that Wal-Mart has invested over $4 billion supporting this technology over the years. It is difficult for people to understand the value of investing such a huge amount of money into this technology. The reason they continue to invest in this technology is simple: they were able to show a marked improvement in their operation. In this chapter, I will discuss the chain of events that drove Wal-Mart to create their huge data warehouse database. I will describe the teams we had, as well as some technical issues that we had to solve. Along the way, I hope to give you an idea of the Wal-Mart culture.After working with many other retailers, I am positive that their culture is a unique driving force behind the continuous construction of this database.
Preconstruction
At Wal-Mart there is a "just do it" attitude throughout the entire company.
Even before the data warehouse was ever discussed, Wal-Mart was definitely not a typical retailer. Of course, they were and still are growing faster than any other retailer. But it is their very special culture that makes them different. Before anyone is hired, they make certain the prospective employee understands their culture as best as they can describe, but it does not really prepare you for...
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